The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-03-26
What was l to do with this SOM

With stealthy steps the Judg
advanced to the side of the bed
He felt cautiously with his lef
!, hand until he felt bunch in tn
covering, and then, with the rap
idity of lightning, he drove his dag
ger into the bedclothes up to tn
hilt. He did not tarry . second
but quietly vanished from the room
closing the door after him.
AS soon as l could l barricadet
the door with several pieces of fur
niture. Then / sat down to thinl
the matter over.
If the Judge was samnambu
list, there was no telling what h
might do. Worse than that, there
was no telling what he had already
done.
/ / Thought of the Luff case. Gould
it he possible that Judge Pike. il
one of his sleep-walking fits, had
killed Saxon? 1t looked very much
like it. And the dagger? Perhaps
it was Luffs missing weapon.
81 will make this thing public,
! said to myself, and l proceeded to
dress.
But / soon changed my mind
My unsupported testimony would
not be regarded. Judge Pike was
a grave, dignifed man, past mid
die age, and he was greatly respect
ed by the miners. 1t would be
folly on my part to tell any one OF
my adventure.
The second day of the trial de-
veloped strong case against Luff /;
rs strong a case as circumstantial
evidence could make it. In the
meantime l perfected plan which
l hoped would lead to surprising
results.
My roommate that night was
DR.. Hinton, one of the oldest and
wealthiest physicians of the place.
The Doctor was a popular man.
He had been Mayor Of Silverton,
and he was, moreover, lifelong
friend of Judge Pike. / could not
have selected a better man for my
purpose.
Again the moon flooded the room
with light as on the previous night.
I. arranged the bedclothes in the
shape of a human figure, and sta
toned myself behind the screen
with DR.. Hinton.
Twelve o'clock came, and one,
but we remained undisturbed.
He is not coming" whispered
the Doctor.
Perhaps not" l answered. "but
feel in duty bound to watch.
very well," yawned the Doctor,
81 am with you, but we did not
go to work in the right way"
"What would have been your
plan?" l asked.
Why, simply this. We should
have concealed ourselves in the
corridor and watched his door.
When he came out we could have
followed him at a little distance.
AS it is, he may visit another room,
and in that event our time will be
lost"
"Itis all very we'll to suggest that
nsw," answered, "but there are
objections to your plan. The guests
who found us prowling about the
corridor would demand explana-
tions, and we would have found it
necessary to take too many into
our secret. Now, it seems reason
able to suppose that the force of
habit will draw the Judge to the
same place. This room is next the
one in which the murder occurred,
and if my theory is correct your
friend was making for that room
last night. Finding it securely
fastened-you know it has been
nailed up since the inquest-he
tried the next door. which was mine.
If he walks at all tonight belive
he will go over the same track"
"There is something in that" F"
said my companion; "but / hope
he will not come. Think of the
effect upon his mind if our suspi-
cions should turn out to be the
truth"
Hush" l whispered.
The door creaked a little, and a
white-robed feature gently glided in.
cit is the judge" said the Doc
tor, under his breath.
And it was the Judge. 1t was
plainly evident even in the moon
light that he was asleep, but his
features were twitching convulsive-
ly. In his right hand he carried
the dagger.
Swiftly, and yet without making
the slightest noise, the sleepwalker
approached the bed, and, stretching
forth one hand, commenced eau
tiously feeling. When bis hand
rested upon the sham figure he de-
livered the same rapid thrust with
the dagger that l had witnessed the
night before, and fed from the room.
DR. Hinton was 4 cool man when
there was work to do. He signaled
.I-o ~or aftnr the Iu0O0